You can learn a lot about the future of energy from someone rebuilding an 1897 house with their own hands. Arash joins us from Rotterdam to talk about the fears, mistakes, and hard-won confidence that come with DIY electrical wiring, plumbing, and structural work and why that same “follow the logic” approach matters when we try to fix much bigger systems.

From there, we trace Arash’s path from jazz guitar to Silicon Valley during the dot-com rush, then into the energy industry after burnout pushed him to find more purposeful work. He shares the idea he calls “energy Buddhism,” a metaphor for a world where energy is flow, everything is connected, and nobody should be able to “own” what the sun provides for free. We also dig into incentives: why volume-based utility models stay stuck in the past, what a value-based model could look like, and why the phrase “flat fee energy” can change how you think about pricing, fairness, and sustainability.

We zoom out to nature for design lessons. Ecosystems don’t rely on a single silver-bullet solution; they build resilience through diversity, self-balancing feedback loops, and local adaptation. That leads straight into the Internet of Energy: distributed energy systems where solar, batteries, heat pumps, and thermal storage can coordinate at the edge, share locally, and use the grid as backup instead of default. Arash also explains how hackathons and open standards can turn this from a concept into real infrastructure, including rapid prototyping at music festivals as “pop-up cities.”

If you care about renewable energy, grid resilience, microgrids, climate solutions, and the future of the energy transition, this conversation will stretch your thinking and give you concrete mental models to keep. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves systems, and leave a review with your biggest question about local energy resilience.

SUBSCRIBE HERE:

YouTube: https://bit.ly/Ja-NaeYT

Apple and Spotify

For over 20 years, behavioral scientist Dr. Ja-Naé Duane dedicated herself to one mission: Make life better for one billion people. This award-winning innovator and expert on global systems focuses on helping corporations, governments, and universities understand and develop systems of the future using emerging technology such as VR/AR, AI, and blockchain. Ja-Nae guides companies forward, helping them get out of their own way to create exponential innovation and future forecasting. She has had the pleasure of working with companies such as PWC, Saudi Aramco, Yum Brands, Samsonite, Natixis, AIG, and Deloitte. A top-rated speaker within the Singularity University community and the author of the bestseller, “The Startup Equation,” Ja-Nae at helping both startups and multinational firms identify new business models and pathways for global scale. Her next book SuperShifts is due out in April 2025.

To Pre-Order SuperShifts: https://bit.ly/SuperShifts

Connect with Ja-Naé Duane:
Visit the Ja-Naé Duane PODCAST: https://bit.ly/40G1i7G
Visit the Ja-Naé Duane WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/Ja-Nae
Like Ja-Naé Duane on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/Ja-NaeFB

Lakshmi Pratury shares her fascinating journey from gold medalist in applied mathematics to founder and CEO of InkTalks, revealing how embracing curiosity across multiple domains can lead to a more fulfilling life than specializing in just one area.

• Growing up in Hyderabad, India without gender boundaries shaped Lakshmi's independent thinking and courage to challenge norms
• The concept of "horizontality" - being good at many things rather than exceptional at just one - offers an alternative path to success
• Looking at life in 10-year intervals rather than day-to-day provides perspective and resilience through inevitable ups and downs
• Building genuine relationships without transactional intentions is the foundation of trust and community
• Creating meaningful experiences for others makes us "billionaires of moments" - a more fulfilling measure of success than financial wealth
• Asking for what you deserve is essential, despite the discomfort and potential rejection
• Surrounding yourself with the right team members who complement your strengths is crucial for entrepreneurial success
• Putting your "oxygen mask on first" by prioritizing your own wellbeing enables you to better serve others

If you have the capability to make a difference to someone, make it - it's the biggest contribution you can offer to the world.

SUBSCRIBE HERE:

YouTube: https://bit.ly/Ja-NaeYT

Apple and Spotify

For over 20 years, behavioral scientist Dr. Ja-Naé Duane dedicated herself to one mission: Make life better for one billion people. This award-winning innovator and expert on global systems focuses on helping corporations, governments, and universities understand and develop systems of the future using emerging technology such as VR/AR, AI, and blockchain. Ja-Nae guides companies forward, helping them get out of their own way to create exponential innovation and future forecasting. She has had the pleasure of working with companies such as PWC, Saudi Aramco, Yum Brands, Samsonite, Natixis, AIG, and Deloitte. A top-rated speaker within the Singularity University community and the author of the bestseller, “The Startup Equation,” Ja-Nae at helping both startups and multinational firms identify new business models and pathways for global scale. Her next book SuperShifts is due out in April 2025.

To Pre-Order SuperShifts: https://bit.ly/SuperShifts

Connect with Ja-Naé Duane:
Visit the Ja-Naé Duane PODCAST: https://bit.ly/40G1i7G
Visit the Ja-Naé Duane WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/Ja-Nae
Like Ja-Naé Duane on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/Ja-NaeFB

Steve Fisher invites us into the fascinating world of futures thinking, sharing how his teenage encounter with Alvin Toffler's "Future Shock" sparked a lifelong passion for anticipating what's next. As he reveals his journey from accidental technologist to respected futurist, Fisher offers a refreshing "protopian" perspective – neither blindly optimistic nor darkly dystopian, but grounded in human resilience and potential.

What makes this conversation particularly valuable is Fisher's practical framework for navigating technological disruption. He distinguishes between technologies worthy of "experiment dollars" versus "production dollars," helping listeners develop discernment amid constant hype cycles. The discussion around AI's impact feels especially timely as Fisher challenges conventional wisdom about job displacement, suggesting instead that professionals focus on leveraging these tools to enhance capabilities and create space for more complex problem-solving.

• Started as a futurist at age 13 after reading Alvin and Heidi Toffler's "Future Shock"
• Developed natural ability to spot trends and weak signals before they become obvious
• Built early career in networking technology that evolved with the commercialization of the internet
• Distinguishes between "experiment dollars" and "production dollars" in technology adoption
• Co-founded McKinsey's Futures Practice just before the COVID pandemic
• Believes this technological revolution differs because changes are happening too quickly for gradual adaptation
• Encourages professionals to learn AI tools to enhance capabilities rather than fear displacement
• Co-authored "Super Shifts" to help people understand systemic changes across various domains
• Describes himself as "protopian" – optimistic about human potential despite challenges
• Recommends resources for developing "futures fluency" including podcasts, books, and courses
• Emphasizes continuous learning, especially about topics outside one's expertise

Never stop learning. The key to being a great futurist is being an autodidact – constantly challenging yourself with new ideas outside your wheelhouse and questioning non-obvious futures.

SUBSCRIBE HERE:

YouTube: https://bit.ly/Ja-NaeYT

Apple and Spotify

For over 20 years, behavioral scientist Dr. Ja-Naé Duane dedicated herself to one mission: Make life better for one billion people. This award-winning innovator and expert on global systems focuses on helping corporations, governments, and universities understand and develop systems of the future using emerging technology such as VR/AR, AI, and blockchain. Ja-Nae guides companies forward, helping them get out of their own way to create exponential innovation and future forecasting. She has had the pleasure of working with companies such as PWC, Saudi Aramco, Yum Brands, Samsonite, Natixis, AIG, and Deloitte. A top-rated speaker within the Singularity University community and the author of the bestseller, “The Startup Equation,” Ja-Nae at helping both startups and multinational firms identify new business models and pathways for global scale. Her next book SuperShifts is due out in April 2025.

To Pre-Order SuperShifts: https://bit.ly/SuperShifts

Connect with Ja-Naé Duane:
Visit the Ja-Naé Duane PODCAST: https://bit.ly/40G1i7G
Visit the Ja-Naé Duane WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/Ja-Nae
Like Ja-Naé Duane on FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/Ja-NaeFB